20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: An Unconventional Classic

1954 was a remarkable year for the movies. It was the year Columbia Pictures released On the Waterfront, which won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, and Paramount Pictures released Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and the Christmas classic White Christmas and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) released Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. ’54 was also the year that Walt Disney Pictures released a film that was unlike anything they had ever done before. It was a live-action film based on a hit novel by Jules Verne, and even though it had a budget of nine million dollars when it was in production, it grossed $28,200,000 at the USA box office. The film is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and in this blog, I’d like to tell you about why this film is so special.

“20,000 Leagues,” was the Walt Disney Studio’s fifth live-action feature film, but was the very first produced in America. The studio’s first four films (Treasure Island (1950), The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952), The Sword and the Rose (1953), and Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1954)) had all been produced in the United Kingdom. But laws changed in the mid-50’s, requiring that revenue from films produced in country had to stay in the U.K.

When Walt Disney was considering what his next film ought to be, he saw the potential for an animated film adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic novel, but Harper Goff who was an artist working at Disney, believed that it could be a wonderful live-action film. Goff convinced Disney when he drew heavily detailed production sketches.

After a green-light from walt, attention turned to casting. They considered Ralph Richardson for the role of Captain Nemo, and auditioned Gregory Peck, but ultimately cast James Mason, who simultaneously was starring in Warner Bros.’ adaptation of A Star is Born, opposite Judy Garland. Kirk Douglas had reservations about taking on the role of Ned Land because he felt being in a family-oriented adventure film would damage his reputation as a “ladies man.” His reservations were put at ease when screenwriter Earl Felton wrote Ned’s intro scene into the film: Ned strolls up with two beautiful women in each arm and rather humorously gets into a fight with a man from the crowd. Mason, Douglas, and Peter Lorre, who was cast as Conseil, all got along well with each other, but Paul Lukas (Professor Pierre Arronax) isolated himself from associating with the other actors. It is believed that that was because due to his age he couldn’t remember all of his lines and was embarrassed as a result.

Walt also knew that hiring someone to direct the film would be a crucial decision, and decided that Richard Fleischer, who had directed some minor Hollywood movies, would be the perfect person to do it. Fleischer was surprised that Disney considered him to do it, because his father, Max Fleischer, was the creator of the cartoon characters Betty Boop and Popeye (one of Walt Disney’s biggest competitors). Richard didn’t want to be disloyal to his father, but when he told his father of the opportunity, Max Fleischer not only encouraged his son to do it, but he even told Richard to tell Disney that he had great taste in directors! Walt later invited Max on a tour of the studio, and he and Walt went from competitors to friends.

When it came time to shoot the climatic “Squid” sequence, originally set to take place during a beautiful sunset with calm sea, but Richard Fleischer felt the scene wasn’t working at all because the squid itself could be viewed easily on camera, making it look fake rather than real. When Richard told Walt about the problem, Walt came up with the idea that the scene ought to take place during a wild storm. The scene was reshot like that, and to this day it remains one of the most legendary action scenes ever captured on film.

When “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” was released it won two Academy Awards: Best Special Effects and Best Art Direction. It also received a third nomination for Best Editing. Harper Goff was uncredited as the Production Designer and Production Developer of the film. He designed every inch of the exterior of the Nautilus and the sets for all of the compartments within the Nautilus. The reason why Goff wasn’t given the award was because the Art Directors Union had created the bylaw within the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences which stated that “Only Union Art Directors can win the Oscar,” and because Goff didn’t have a Union card, John Meehan and Emilie Kuri who were his assistants, took the award home. Goff also taught Kirk Douglas how to play the guitar for the “Whale of a Tale,” number in the film.  

The success of “20,000 Leagues” also led to the creation of special film-themed attractions at the Disney Parks. On August 5th, 1955, a walkthrough exhibit where guests could explore sets and props from the film opened at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. The attraction closed on August 28th, 1966. On October 14th, 1971, nearly two weeks after Walt Disney World opened, the attraction 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage opened at the Magic Kingdom Park. This attraction gave guests a chance to ride a boat like the Nautilus and feel as though they were in the movie while being guided by Captain Nemo himself. This attraction closed in 1994. There are still, however, currently “20,000 Leagues,”-themed attractions at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. Another fun fact about the Disney parks that pertains to “20,000 Leagues,” is that the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland currently houses Captain Nemo’s pipe organ from the film.

“20,000 Leagues,” premiered in New York City on December 23rd, 1954, which means that on December 23rd, 2019, the film will be 65 years old. There are all kinds of reasons why it is a special film: first live-action Disney film produced in America, award-winning art direction and special effects, and the legendary “squid” scene. While most Disney films that stand the test of time today are animated, few live-action Disney films are fortunate enough to do the same thing. “20,000 Leagues,” is one of those exceptions.

Penny Marshall: “Made All Her Dreams Come True”…her way!

On December 17th, 2018, Penny Marshall passed away due to complications from diabetes. Marshall was a gifted comedic actress, as well as a talented—and groundbreaking director. She was the first female director ever to make movies that grossed over 100 million dollars. Throughout her career, she made audiences laugh in front of the camera and helped actors achieve their best from behind the camera. Initially, she gained fame as Laverne DeFazio on Happy Days (1974-1984) and later Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983), but soon achieved industry-wide respect for directing the films Big (1988) and A League of Their Own (1992) (the $100 million movies). In this blog, I’d like to tell you a little more about her life.

Carole Penny Marshall was born in the Bronx, New York on October 15th, 1943 to Anthony “Tony” and Marjorie Irene Masciarelli. Tony, who was a director of industrial films and later a producer, changed his and his entire family’s last name to Marshall before Penny was born. Marjorie, who was a tap dance teacher with her own school, named her daughter after her favorite actress: Carole Lombard, (“Penny” came from her other daughter, Ronny, who at the time was desperately saving pennies to buy a horse in the Bronx.) Little Carole took up tap dancing at age three in her mother’s school, discovering then wanted to be a performer. 

After graduating Walton High School, Marshall attended the University of New Mexico where she studied Math and Psychology. While there, she met and married Michael Henry, a football player for the university, and they were married for three years. They had one daughter together, Tracy. In the midst of her unfortunate divorce, Penny worked several jobs to support herself, including as a choreographer for the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera Association. (and at one point teaching tap dancing at her mother’s dance school in New York.) At age 24, she was invited by her brother, comedy writer-turned-director, Garry Marshall, to move to Los Angeles and try her luck at performing.

In 1968, Penny made her film debut in The Savage Seven and How Sweet It Is!, the latter of which was written by her brother. In 1971, she tied the knot with television star-turned-director Rob Reiner, and Rob adopted her daughter Tracy. Not long after, Garry became the executive producer of the television series The Odd Couple (1970-1975), based on the hit Broadway play and film of the same name. He asked his sister to play Myrna the Secretary on the show, and soon after her guest spot on “Happy Days,” (also produced by her brother) made her a household name. She was cast as Laverne DeFazio, along with Cindy Williams as Shirley Feeney, two dates for the show’s main characters, Fonzie and Richie. The pair was so well-received, Garry decided to give them their own show, “Laverne & Shirley.” Penny Marshall’s portrayal of Laverne DeFazio on “Laverne & Shirley,” earned her three Golden Globe nominations. 

While playing DeFazio, Penny developed an interest in directing having watched her brother direct episodes of “Odd Couple,” “Happy Days,” and “Laverne & Shirley.” She was fortunate enough to direct four episodes of “Laverne & Shirley,” with her brother as a mentor, and the experience made her eager to try her directing skills in movies. Although her marriage to Rob Reiner sadly ended in 1981, she made her directorial debut in 1986 with Jumpin’ Jack Flash, starring Whoopi Goldberg. (In the film she cast her brother, Garry, and daughter, Tracy). The film was negatively reviewed by critics, but it made a substantial amount of money. 

Soon she was given the script for “Big,” the story of a 12-year-old boy, who magically turns into a 30-year-old man. Co-written by Gary Ross and Steven Spielberg’s younger sister, Anne Spielberg, the script had been rejected by every major A-list Hollywood actor and director at the time. It gained attention when Robert De Niro expressed an interest in the main role of Josh Baskin. Marshall saw the potential of the story, but rejected De Niro’s salary demand (six million dollars for the part). Tom Hanks was then considered, but initially was not available due to scheduling conflicts with the films Dragnet (1987) and Punchline (1988). Hanks became available later, and accepted at a salary of two million dollars. He earned his first Best Actor Oscar Nomination thanks to Penny Marshall’s guidance. “Big,” also featured Jon Lovitz, whom had worked with Penny Marshall on “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” and her daughter, Tracy.

The success of “Big,” led to Awakenings (1990) which starred Robert De Niro and Robin Williams. It received three Oscar Nominations including Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor for De Niro, and Best Motion Picture of the Year, but sadly no nominations for Penny Marshall as director. Marshall’s next film was A League of Their Own (1992). Casting for this film proved to be the ultimate task for Penny Marshall because she had to cast actors who not only had exceptional acting skills but could also play baseball. This film reunited her with Tom Hanks, Jon Lovitz, as well as family members Tracy and Garry in small roles It also ignited the film careers of Rosie O’Donnell and Megan Cavanagh, and it even featured her brother Garry in a small role. Although her career was primarily focused on directing at this point, Penny never completely faded away from the spotlight. After making “A League of the Their Own,” she and Garry made a cameo together as a cranky, aging husband and wife couple in Disney’s live-action cult classic, Hocus Pocus (1993).

Marshall’s next two films were Renaissance Man (1994) with Danny DeVito and The Preacher’s Wife (1996) with Denzel Washington—a remake of The Bishop’s Wife (1947) with Cary Grant. She also directed the pilot episode for a short-lived television spin-off of “A League of Their Own.” Her last theatrical film as director was Riding in Cars with Boys (2001) with Drew Barrymore. After that, she returned to television, directing episodes of ABC’s According to Jim (2001-2009), Dreamworks Television’s United States of Tara (2009-2011), and the made-for-television movie Women Without Men (2010). A lung cancer diagnosis was thankfully in remission in 2012. Following that recovery she published her memoir My Mother Was Nuts.

Penny Marshall told stories as a director that made us both laugh and cry, though she will forever be remembered as the wisecracking Laverne DeFazio. She might not have received all the accolades she deserved throughout her wonderful career, but she was a role model both on-screen and off-screen for women in male-dominated society. Everything she did, she did her way.

Merry Christmas!    

Pamela Lyndon “P.L.” Travers: The Writer Behind the Nanny  

Helen Lyndon Goff (known to you as P.L. Travers) was born and raised in rural Australia by her aristocratic mother and her severely alcoholic father. His premature death had a huge impact on her, as did her Aunt Ellie, who came to help look after the family in their distress. 

At 18 years of age, young “Lyndon,” as her family called her went off to boarding school, and began publishing poems for Australian magazines, including The Bulletin and Triad. She also briefly became an actress where she adopted the stage name Pamela Lyndon Travers. She toured with Alan Wilkie’s Shakespearean Company from Australian to New Zealand, and ultimately to England. And when the company reached Sussex, she and a friend rented a thatched cottage together, and it was at that cottage in the winter of 1933, where Mrs. Pamela Travers created the magical nanny known as Mary Poppins (patterned to a large extent after her Aunt Ellie, whom Pamela felt “could do anything”). She published the very first book, Mary Poppins, in 1934, and it was an instant success, leading to the publishing of a sequel, Mary Poppins Come Back the very next year in ’35. (In a 1977 radio interview, Travers explained that the name Mary Poppins came from childhood stories that she made up for her sisters and that she also had a book as a child with that name inscribed in the book.) 

Walt Disney overhead his daughters giggling together one night and he asked them what so funny, together they replied “Why Dad, Mary Poppins.” Once he read the books, he knew they were special, and immediately sought the film rights from Mrs. Travers. She unfortunately declined his offer, fearing that a film adaptation of her heroine could easily dilute the stories. She continued to write more books I Go By Sea, I Go By Land in 1941 and her third “Poppins,” novel Mary Poppins Opens the Door in 1943. The next year Walt sent his brother, Roy Disney with another offer for a film adaptation of “Poppins,” but again, Travers declined.

Finally, in 1959, on the verge of losing her house, and due to a decline in the book’s sales, Mrs. Travers accepted another offer from the Disney Studios. (Prior to this, she had also written the book Mary Poppins in the Park in 1952 and she also wrote Mary Poppins from A to Z in 1963). Producing the film, however, proved to be an exasperating process for Mrs. Travers, Walt Disney, and many all involved. She disapproved of screenwriter Don DaGradi’s excluding the more serious/darker elements of her books, despised every nearly every note of music written by Richard M. Sherman and his Robert B. Sherman, and hated Disney’s use of cartoons. As a result, Mrs. Travers wasn’t even invited to the film’s premier, but humiliated a Disney executive into extending her one. Though the final cut of the film made her weep throughout its entirety and afterwards she met Walt and said “We have a long way to go, Disney.” He replied “Pamela, the ship has sailed,” and walked away.

Despite the film being a major blockbuster, Mrs. Travers refused any further film adaptations of her books, but she continued to write more sequels about her magical nanny, including: Mary Poppins in the Kitchen in 1975, Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane in 1982 and Mary Poppins in the House Next Door in 1988. When asked about the film in another 1977 interview and she replied “I’ve seen it once or twice, and I’ve learned to live with it. It’s glamorous and it’s a good film on its own level, but I don’t think it is very like my books.”

When theater producer Cameron Mackintosh asked her about adapting her nanny for the stage, she agreed only on the conditions that the show would be produced only by English citizens, and that no Americans whatsoever, including those that were involved with the film, would be involved with it. She did however agree to allowing certain aspects of the film, including songs in the play. 

Mrs. Travers passed away on April 23rd, 1996 at the age of 96 in London, England. With the character of Mary Poppins, she created an extraordinary legacy in children’s literature. And her character’ stories became a true gem of a Disney movie, which will hopefully continue with Disney’s upcoming Mary Poppins Returns. But Disney never would have been able to make their magical movie, had it not been for her wonderful books.   

John Wayne: “The Duke”

In 1949, John “The Duke” Wayne starred as Captain Nathan Cutting Brittles in the film She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. It was his the sixth of his 15 collaborations with director John Ford. His co-star in the film, Harry Carrey Jr. Carrey Jr. once said that the role of Nathan Brittles was “Wayne’s favorite role.” Throughout a 50-year-career in movies, John Wayne became far more than just a Hollywood actor, he became one of Hollywood’s most popular icons. His screen persona beautifully epitomizes the American Cowboy in western movies, and while not all of his movies were westerns, he always played men of courage on screen. He once said “A man’s got to have a code, a creed to live by, no matter his job.”

He was born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26th, 1907 in Winterset, Iowa. His father, Clyde, was a pharmacy clerk and his mother, Molly, was a former telephone operator who became a stay-at-home Mom. Four years later, she had a second boy which she decided to name Robert, and she switched her older son’s middle name from Robert to Mitchell. The family later moved from Winterset to Palmdale, California, and then Glendale, California where young Marion attended Glendale Union High School. His parents sadly had a rocky marriage because Molly was tough and not very affectionate woman. His father was all about the affection, and the move unfortunately strained the relationship even more. This made both him and his brother anxious, and their father tried to ease their anxieties by teaching them how to play football. It was also here that Marion convinced his parents to let him have a dog, and they gave him an Airedale Terrier which he named Duke. He later took a paper delivery job, and everyone at the local fire station, which was on his paper route began calling young Marion “Big Duke,” and the dog “Little Duke,” because they would never go anywhere without one another. The nickname stuck throughout the rest of his life.

In school, Duke was an exceptional student and was well-liked by the other students. Throughout his four years at Glendale Union High, he was either vice president or president of his class, and it was here that he also developed a love of drama, performing in plays varying from Henry VIII to The First Lady of the Land. Marion also took a job as a handbill deliverer for the Palace Grand Movie Theatre in Glendale, which is where he also developed a love of the movies. After graduating High School, he had hoped to join the Navy, but his application was denied. He got a football scholarship at USC, but during his sophomore year at the university his parents got divorced. His father remarried, and although his second wife was good to both him and his children, Wayne’s brother relocated to Long Beach, California with his mother, and Marion didn’t have very much contact with either of them after that. The USC football team caught the attention of many celebrities at the time, including Western star Tom Mix. Mix made a bargain with the team’s Coach Howard, giving players jobs at Fox Film’s Corporation in exchange for box seats, and when football season was over, Duke Morrison and one other player, got employed at Fox. Not long after their employment, Mix offered the two football players jobs as extras in his next Western movie, saying “I think there’s a future in pictures for both of you.”

  Duke Morrison ultimately decided to pursue a career as full-time movie star, and he began taking bit parts in B-movies. His first film appearance was in a silent film called Brown of Harvard (1926) where he played a Yale Football Player. His first starring role was in a film called The Big Trail (1930). Even though he had found work in movies, he continued as a prop boy who moved furniture at Fox. When he was moving furniture one day, a director named Raoul Walsh saw him and cast him in his first starring role on in a film called The Big Trail (1930). While on that film, Walsh was told by Fox chief Winfield Sheehan that Duke would need a different name. Without actually consulting Wayne, Walsh initially suggested “Anthony Wayne,” and Sheehan deemed that name “too Italian.”  Walsh then suggested John Wayne, and Sheehan agreed. 

John Wayne acted in almost 90 movies before landing his “big break” in the role of the Ringo Kid in Stagecoach (1939), which his first major collaboration with director John Ford. Tom Mix, who happened to be a friend of Ford’s, recommended Duke, and he hired him as an extra on the silent film Mother Machree (1927). (“Machree,” was also Ford’s first collaboration with Victor McLaglen, who would later co-star with Duke in The Quiet Man (1952)). “Stagecoach,” was a critical and commercial success, and even received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Picture.

Throughout his incredible career, John Wayne worked with hundreds of leading ladies who were both beautiful and talented, but often they were also strong-willed, sassy, and equally as courageous as he. The best example of that would have to be Maureen O’Hara. O’Hara worked with Wayne on five movies: Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952), The Wings of Eagles (1957), McLintock! (1963), and Big Jake (1971). In “Grande,” “Quiet Man,” and “Eagles,” they were directed by John Ford and on “McLintock!” they were directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, son of their co-star from “Quiet Man,” Victor McLaglen. John Wayne often referred to Maureen O’Hara as “One of the greatest guys I’ve ever known.” Maureen O’Hara also once said “Speaking as an actress, I wish all actors would be more like Duke-and speaking as a person, it would be nice if all people could be honest and as genuine as he is. This is a real man.”

Wayne also worked with a number of talented men who played both sidekicks and villains in his movies. He made three films with another Hollywood legend, James Stewart: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), How the West Was Won (1962), and The Shootist (1976), which was Duke’s final film ever. “Shootist,” also starred Ron Howard, who at this point, was still well-known as an actor, but was beginning to pursue his directing career. Howard said that while on this movie, he learned more from Wayne than he usually learned from working with other Hollywood legends on screen.

John Wayne received a total of three Academy Award Nominations throughout his career: Best Actor in Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), Best Picture for producing The Alamo (1960), and Best Actor in True Grit (1969) and his performance in that film as Rooster Cogburn would be his first and only Oscar win. While making the film, Wayne disapproved of the casting of Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, and barely ever spoke to her off camera. He also did not get along well with Robert Duvall, who ironically played his main antagonist Lucky Ned Pepper in the film. Throughout filming, Duvall constantly argued with the director, Henry Hathaway, and at one point Wayne even threatened to punch Duvall if he argued with Hathaway again. Despite this, the film was a success, and was remade in 2010 with Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn who coincidentally received a Best Actor Oscar Nomination for his performance, as well.

Although he feuded with Robert Duvall, Wayne did get along well with some of the actors who played the main antagonists in his movies. Bruce Dern played “Long Hair Watts” in The Cowboys (1972). Dern says that Wayne came up to him once and said “Oh, how they’re gonna hate you for this.” Dern replied “Maybe, but in Berkeley I’ll be a (bleeping) hero.” Wayne also made three movies with Richard Boone, a distant relative of American frontiersman, Daniel Boone: The Alamo (1960), Big Jake (1971), and The Shootist (1976).

John Wayne was not only well-liked by movie fans, but by movie professionals as well. His five-decade-career in movies made him an American legend—and he brought lots of adventure, intrigue, and fun into the lives of many. 

Donna Reed: A Wonderful Life

When we think of leading ladies from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Katherine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Grace Kelly, easily came to mind. But another name that fits the profile is Donnabelle Mullenger, but you know her as Donna Reed. Donna Reed was an undoubtedly beautiful woman who starred in all kinds of Classic Hollywood movies from It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) to From Here to Eternity (1953) and then transitioned into television in The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966). She had a career in show business that lasted nearly 50 years. While known as the epitome of a loving wife and mother, she accomplished much more.

Born on a farm in Denison, Iowa on January 27th, 1921, Donnabelle Mullenger was the oldest of William and Hazel Mullenger’s five children. Growing up in the Iowa countryside, she learned the values of kindness, honesty, and respect from her parents and immediately took to looking after her younger siblings. She was so close with her family that at one point, she earned the nickname “Little Mother.” When the Great Depression struck the Midwest, she could only watch as many of her family’s neighbors tragically lost their houses and farms. It was very emotional for her and her family, despite the fact that they were fortunate enough to keep theirs. The Mullengers optimistically sang songs together and on occasion, journeyed into the Denison town square to go to the movie house on the square for a double feature. It was there that young Donnabelle developed a love for the movies, though she didn’t officially discover her own acting talents until time at Denison High School.  

Going to High School was a nerve-wrecking experience for her because her classmates were primarily city girls and she wasn’t confident that she would actually be able to make any social connections with them. She had a teacher, however, who encouraged her to read a book called How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, and as a result, she began to make friends and became part of the debate team and the theatre department. She even improved her own level of intellect, graduating at the top ten of her class. After graduation, she became the first person in her family to “continue,” when her Aunt Mildred, who happened to live in Los Angeles, invited her to live with her and enroll at Los Angeles City College to pursue a career in acting.

After only one semester at Los Angeles City College, she entered and won a “Miss South Gate, CA.” Her win got her the chance to represent South Gate in the 1940 Tournament of Roses, and a photo on the front of the Los Angeles Times. This led to movie studio offers screen tests for her, and when she tested for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), studio chief Louie B. Mayer declared her “MGM’s next starlet.” After graduating college, she signed with MGM at $75 a week, but was told that she would need to shorten her name in order to fit a marquis. Temporarily, she shortened her name to Donna Adams, but ultimately adopted the name Donna Reed. Her first credited film appearance was in The Getaway (1941) opposite Robert Sterling and Charles Winninger.

During her time as the “new kid” on the MGM backlot, she met makeup artist William Tuttle and they married. Sadly, however, their marriage dissolved after just two years, as, Donna became more and more eager to boost her career. She desperately wanted to play Sibyl Vane in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) but she instead was cast as Gladys Hallward, while Angela Lansbury was cast as Vane. And although she also had roles in films that did exceptionally well at the box office like The Courtship of Andy Hardy (1942) and The Human Comedy (1943), it was all still unsatisfying to her. Ultimately, she divorced William Tuttle, but not long after that, met Tony Owen, who at this point was a Hollywood agent and an aspiring film producer. They were married on June 15th, 1945. Reed was also determined to be a mother, but after many unsuccessful attempts to become pregnant, she and Owen adopted two children, a daughter, Penny Jane and a son, Tony Jr.

Following the growth of her family, she was cast by Frank Capra in what would be his first post-WW2 film and what would also be arguably her best film role ever. The role, of course, was Mary Hatch Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). Not long after making this movie, Donna Reed said that the film was “the most difficult film I ever did. No director ever demanded as much of me,” having to learn to portray a character that aged from 18 to 40 years throughout the course of the film’s plot. In later years, however, she said that “Wonderful Life,” was her favorite film of her whole career. Although the film is a beloved classic today, it was only moderately well-received when it first came out in December of 1946, and recorded a loss of $525,000 for its distribution company, RKO Radio Pictures. Disappointed by the film’s reception, Donna Reed became even more determined to find the role that would make her a true star. 

When her contract with MGM ended, she signed another contract with Columbia Studios in 1950. (The year prior to that, she amazingly had her first biological child, her son, Timothy, in 1949.) Her first two films at Columbia were Saturday’s Hero (1951) and Scandal Street (1952). The following year she starred in From Here to Eternity (1953) as Alma the Dance Hall prostitute. Fred Zinnemann, the film’s director, did not want her in the movie, but the Columbia studio chief insisted that Zinnemann consider her. After three screen tests, Zinnemann relented and cast her alongside Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, and Frank Sinatra. The film had 13 Academy Award Nominations and won eight, including Best Picture, Best Director for Fred Zinnemann, Best Supporting Actor for Frank Sinatra and Best Supporting Actress for Donna Reed. (Lancaster, Clift, and Kerr, were also all nominated in the leading categories for their performances.) Despite her Oscar win, Reed continued to be cast in roles that were unsatisfying to her. Columbia continued to view her as the wholesome beauty that could always play the love interest, roughly similar to how MGM viewed her, but Reed wanted to be seen as more than that.

In the mid-1950’s, she formed “Todon Productions,” with her husband Tony, and together they produced the film Beyond Mombasa (1956), but that film flopped. Desperately in need of a hit, they decided to try television, which at this point had just been coming into the spotlight. The Donna Reed Show (1958-1966) aired its pilot episode on the ABC Network on September 24th, 1958. Not an immediate hit, but it grew to be a hit thanks to sponsorship by Campbell’s Soup. Donna Reed also became involved in production aspects of the show: casting decisions, story ideas, and other things, in many ways like Lucille Ball did after I Love Lucy (1951-1957). She was an uncredited producer of the show, because it just wasn’t the norm for a woman to be credited as the producer of a show at the time. The show ran for a total of eight seasons and 275 episodes.

After it ended, Donna took a break from the entertainment industry and in 1967 joined the group Another Mother for Peace, an organization opposed to the United States involvement in Vietnam and who wanted the country to have a Secretary of Peace. She co-chaired the group and in addition to opposing the Vietnam War, they also opposed Nuclear Power Plants. Reed’s involvement in politics sadly put a strain on her relationship with her husband Tony, and they divorced after 26 years of marriage in 1971. Ironically, not long after her second divorce, she met Colonel Grover Asmus, the Senior Aide to General Omar Bradley. They began dating, and Col. Asmus almost immediately proposed marriage to Reed. She declined, but Col. Asmus continued to propose marriage as they dated for the next three years. One day, they were eating together at a restaurant, and he gave his daily proposal. Reed replied “Well you’ve finally worn me out, all right.” And they were married on August 30th, 1974. 

Ten years After her third walk down the aisle, Reed was cast as Miss Ellie Ewing in Dallas (1978-1991), when Barbara Bel Geddes left the show in 1984. After one season on the show, however, she was fired upon Bel Geddes’ return. As a result, she sued the production company of the show and won a total of $1.25 million dollars. Her brief stint on “Dallas,” was her last acting job due to diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer. She was intent on battling the cancer, but sadly lost the battle, and passed away at the age of 64 on January 14th, 1986. Not long after, her widower and children, along with some of her friends created the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts, based in her hometown of Denison, Iowa. The organization provides students interested in the performing arts with scholarships, hosts an annual festival for performing arts workshops, and runs the Donna Reed Center for the Performing Arts. 

It’s been 65 years since Donna Reed won her Oscar for “From Here to Eternity,” though we might remember her better either as Donna Stone on “The Donna Reed Show,” or as George Bailey’s beautiful love interest-turned-wife in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Even though her life was short, she always did the best she could to maintain an optimistic and cheerful attitude—despite the pressures of living and working in Hollywood. She was a relentless optimist that never gave up on anything, and had a versatile acting career, a decent family life, and a “Wonderful Life.”  

Ron Howard: Child Actor-turned-Director

Ron Howard began his career as a child actor, appearing in The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) and The Music Man (1962), continuing later as a teenager in Happy Days (1974-1984) and American Graffiti (1973). Early on, however, he developed an interest in directing and decided to pursue it. Today his nearly 60-year show business career is best known, not for work  as a television child star, but as an accomplished movie director.

Born in Duncan, Oklahoma on March 1st, 1954, Ronny Howard was born into a show business family. His father, Rance Howard, was a director, writer, and actor, and his mother, Jean Speagle Howard, was also an actor. He appeared as a baby with his parents in the film Frontier Woman in 1955. When Ronny was four years old, his family relocated to Hollywood (in 1958), where his younger brother, actor Clint Howard was born. In Hollywood, the Howards rented a house on the block of the Desilu Studios where young Ronny would make his television big break as Opie Taylor in “Andy Griffith,” (which was filmed at Desilu). Prior to being cast in “Andy Griffith,” Howard also made his first credited film appearance at five years of age in the film The Journey (1959). During his run on “Griffith,” he appeared in the Warner Bros. film adaptation of Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man (1962) as Winthrop Paroo, the younger brother of Marian Paroo the librarian (played by Shirley Jones). The year after that film he was reunited with Jones in the film The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1963). 

The Howards lived in Hollywood for three years, and later moved to Burbank where Ron attended John Burroughs High School. And after that he attended the University of Southern California’s Cinematic School of Arts, but didn’t graduate. At age 15, he appeared in the Disneyland record Story and Song from The Haunted Mansion, and after his appearance on the record, he acted in the live-action Disney film The Wild Country (1970), opposite Steve Forrest, Vera Miles, and his brother Clint. His time at USC was interrupted when he was cast by George Lucas (who would later become his directing mentor) in “American Graffiti.” The next year he landed the role of Ritchie Cunningham on Happy Days (1974-1984). 

During his run on “Happy Days,” he became very close with co-stars Henry Winkler and Tom Bosley. After the first two season on the show, he married his high school sweetheart Cheryl Alley in 1975. In 1977, he made his directorial debut with the low-budget Grand Theft Auto, the same year his mentor George Lucas released Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977). His wife, Cheryl, brother, Clint, and father Rance, all had roles in the film, as did his television mother, Marion Ross. He finally left “Happy Days,” in 1980, after six seasons and a total of 167 episodes, to permanently focus on his directing career (He did return for the series finale in 1984).

After directing the made-for-television movies Cotton Candy (1978), which he co-wrote with his brother, Clint, Skyward (1980), and The Time Crystal (1981), Ron finally directed his second theatrical film Night Shift (1982), which starred Michael Keaton, Shelley Long, and his “Happy Days,” buddy, Henry Winkler. His first child, actress Bryce Dallas Howard, was born the same year that “Time Crystal,” aired on television. After that film, he was hired by the Walt Disney Studios to direct the film Splash (1984) a fantasy/romantic comedy which starred Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah. “Splash,” would be a special film for both Disney and Ron Howard because it would be the first film ever to be produced by Disney’s division company Touchstone Pictures, founded by Walt Disney’s son-in-law, Ron Miller, and it would also be Ron Howard’s first of five collaborations with Tom Hanks. (“Splash,” was also a huge hit, and later led to Disney producing The Little Mermaid (1989)). Ron Howard’s next film would be Cocoon (1985), which became the first film where he directed an actor in an Oscar-winning performance. (Don Ameche, won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar that year for his performance as Art Selwyn in the film.) The film also won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Ron Howard also became the father of twin girls that year, Jocelyn Howard Carlyle, and Paige Howard. He had a fourth child, a son, Reed Cross Howard in 1987.

In 1986, Ron Howard founded the film company Imagine Entertainment with Brian Grazer, in which they began producing films released under the labels of Tri-Star, Universal, Fox, and other various companies. (That same year, he reprised his trademark role as Opie Taylor in the television movie, Return to Mayberry). The first Imagine Entertainment film directed by Howard was Willow (1988), which was written and executive produced by George Lucas, and released under Lucasfilm ltd, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. After “Willow,” he directed Parenthood (1989) and then Backdraft (1991), with Kurt Russell, Far and Away (1992), with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (it led to their marriage), and The Paper (1994) which reunited him with Michael Keaton. Tom Hanks joined him again the next year in Apollo 13 (1995), which earned him the Director’s Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. 

In 2000, he directed the live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey as the Grinch—his first fantasy-based film since “Cocoon.” His father, brother, and daughter, all played citizens of Whoville in that film. Ron Howard finally reached the pinnacle of his career, when he was nominated for and won the Best Director Oscar for A Beautiful Mind (2001), a drama based on the life of mathematician John Nash. Despite it not being the status quo in filmmaking, he filmed every scene in that movie in chronological order. The film also won the Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress for Jennifer Connelly for her performance as Nash’s wife, Alicia, and Best Motion Picture of the Year. Ron Howard dedicated his Oscar win to his mother, Jean Speagle Howard, who had tragically passed away just the year prior. Howard jokingly claimed that his mother had said that he would win the Best Director Oscar for every film he made. There is also a special dedication to his mother at the end of “The Grinch,” which reads “For Jean Speagle Howard,” who liked Christmas the most.”

In 2004, Ron Howard produced The Alamo (2004) for Touchstone Pictures under the direction of John Lee Hancock. In 2006, he reunited with Tom Hanks for the third time on The Da Vinci Code, and he directed Hanks again in “Da Vinci Code’s,” prequel Angels & Demons (2009) and sequel Inferno (2016). In 2008, he directed Frost/Nixon, his first film based on a Broadway play. The film starred Michael Sheen as David Frost and Frank Langella as Richard Nixon, both of whom had originated their respective roles on Broadway. (Langella also won a Tony for the performance.) The film earned five Oscar Nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Langella and Ron Howard’s second Best Director Nomination. In 2013, he teamed up with Chris Hemsworth in the biopic Rush and he directed Hemsworth a second time with In the Heart of the Sea. His most recent directorial was this past summer’s Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), which was produced by Lucasfilm, ltd, and released under Disney.

Ron Howard’s work makes it easy to see that he is unbelievably passionate about telling stories. A family-based man, he often casts his family in his movies. From genre to genre, Ron Howard continually proves his status as one of Hollywood’s best directors—all from the child T.V. actor who got interested in making movies. 

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s 50th part 2

One might easily confuse “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” for being a Disney movie, because like most Disney movies, it is a family-oriented movie-musical with an imaginative and heartwarming story with memorable characters and brilliantly well-written music. But while it is not Disney, it can easily be ranked in the legacy of family movie-musicals created by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) with the likes of The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Singin’ in the Rain (1952). And it’s timeless. This blog continues our tribute to MGM’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) with the last 25 facts. Please feel free to comment if you’d like.

• Musician/actor Phil Collins says that he was one of the children who stormed the castle during Baron Bomburts’s birthday, but his part was edited out of the movie, because at the time he was wearing a bandage on his head that was covering a cyst.
• This film was negatively reviewed by critics and audiences at the time, and was also a financial flop, having a budget of $10 million and grossing only $7.5 million at the box office.
• Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay for this movie also wrote the screenplay for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967).
• Around the time that he was offered to star in “Chitty,” Dick Van Dyke was also offered the role of Fagin in Columbia Pictures’ adaptation of Oliver! (1968). Van Dyke ultimately chose to star in “Chitty,” and Ron Moody, who had originated the role of Fagin in London’s West End Production, was cast in the film. (Moody also received a Best Actor Oscar Nomination for his performance in the film.)
• Prior to making “Chitty,” Dick Van Dyke also made the live-action Disney films, Lt. Robin Crusoe (1966) and Never a Dull Moment (1968) which was released the same year. Van Dyke would later say “This will out-Disney Disney,” about “Chitty.”   
• “Chitty,” is the first non-Disney film ever to feature songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The second was Paramount’s animated musical adaptation of the classic children’s book Charlotte’s Web (1973).
• Ian Fleming’s original book of Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car told a slightly different story from the movie. It was about a family whose name was Pott, and how a man named Caractacus Pott and his wife Mimsie, and their two children, Jeremy and Jemima, and how they use the car to rescue a French candy maker and his family who are being held hostage by gangsters. 
• Roald Dahl’s screenplay revised the story into what it is in the movie. Dahl came up with the fictional country of “Vulgaria,” and everything about it, as well as the character name, Truly Scrumptious.
• It’s a possibility that the name Truly Scrumptious is actually a tribute to the names of “Bond girls,” i.e.: Honey Ryder, Pussy Galore, and Kissy Suzuki.
• Dick Van Dyke was also offered the chance to play Grandpa Potts in the original Broadway production of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” but declined.
• Sally Ann Howes was interviewed by Rosie O’Donnell about “Chitty,” on The Rosie O’Donnell Show (1996-2002). During the interview, she explained that the “Doll on a Music Box,” sequence was difficult to film, but she was still able to film it in only one take.
• The character Caractacus Potts was named after the last independent ruler of England before the Roman conquest of Southern England.
• Prior to appearing in this movie-musical, Lionel Jeffries (Grandpa Potts) had also appeared as King Pellinore in Warner Bros. film adaptation of Lerner and Lowe’s Camelot (1967).
• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s” title song was used as a wake up call for Commander Pamela Ann Melroy and the Space Shuttle Discover crew on November 7, 2007.
• The song title “Toot Sweet,” is a play on the french expression “tout de suite,” which translates to “right away,” or “quickly.”
• Gert Frobe is not the only “James Bond,” actor to appear in “Chitty.” Desmond Llewelyn, who was the first actor to play “Q,” in James Bond played Coggins in “Chitty,” and Anna Quayle who played Frau Hoffner in Casino Royale (1967) played the Baroness Bomburst in “Chitty.”
• When The Hobbit trilogy (2012-2014) was in production, Peter Jackson, who is one of the current owners of the “Chitty” cars used was frequently seen near the WETA Workshop in New Zealand driving cast members of the trilogy in the car while playing the film’s title song through a sound system.
• Robert Helpmann played the Child Catcher and wore a top set of false teeth which he took out to make his face look more thin and bony. Not wearing his teeth also helped make his voice sound more creepy.
• The character of the Child Catcher was the inspiration for Marilyn Manson’s “Smells Like Children,” extended play record as well as the outfit that Manson wears on the cover of the record.
• The license plate on the Chitty car says “GEN 11” though it is pronounced “Genie,” a nod to the car’s magical capabilities.
• While making this movie, Dick Van Dyke was also offered the next James Bond role by Albert R. “Cubby,” Broccoli. Van Dyke said no and jokingly asked Broccoli if he had heard Van Dyke’s Cockney accent. Broccoli replied “Oh yeah, that’s right,” and he revoked the offer.
• Broccoli wanted to produce “Chitty,” primarily because he wanted to duplicate the success that Walt Disney had four years earlier with Mary Poppins (1964). It is because of Broccoli that “Poppins,” composers/lyricists Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman came onto the film along with conductor Irwin Kostal and choreographers Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood. Broccoli had hoped to re-team Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews, but while Dick Van Dyke signed on, for unknown reasons, Andrews said no.
• In the movie, the car can be seen driving around the English countryside. Those scenes were actually filmed in France simply for the sunshine.
• 20th Century Fox’s Family Guy (1998-present) parodied the “Me Ol’ Bamboo,” number from “Chitty,” in the “420th,” episode of the show which aired on April 19th, 2009.
• Truly Scumptious’ license plate reads “CUB 1,” which was inspired by Albert R. Broccoli’s nickname “Cubby.”  

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s 50th part 1

On December 18th, 1968, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios produced the movie-musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang based on the novel Chitty-Chitty-Bang Bang: The Magical Car written by James Bond author/creator Ian Fleming. The film was produced by Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli who produced several of the early James Bond films from Dr. No (1962) to The Man With the Golden Gun (1974). It was directed by Ken Hughes, who, ironically, was one of five directors on the film Casino Royale (1967)—a comedic spoof of James Bond with Peter Sellers as Agent 007. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang turns 50 years old on December 18th, 2018, and in honor of this milestone anniversary, I’d like to tell you fifty different facts about this magical film. There will be 25 facts in this blog and the other 25 will come later. Please feel free to comment if you’d like!

• Dick Van Dyke initially did not want to make this film, despite receiving several different offers with more money each time. When the offer reached seven figures, plus a percentage of the film’s profits, he accepted the part. He also accepted on the condition that he could play the character of Caracatus Potts with an American accent as opposed to an English accent, having had has cockney accent as Bert in Mary Poppins (1964) widely mocked by critics.
• The film featured the music and lyrics of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, primarily known for the music they wrote for Disney films. They were simultaneously working with Disney on the “Winnie the Pooh,” series. (The second “Winnie the Pooh,” short Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day was also released in 1968). The Shermans received Best Original Song Oscar and Golden Globe Nominations for “Chitty’s” title song. 
• Julie Andrews was originally offered to play Truly Scrumptious in the film, but declined. Sally Ann Howes, was cast instead, ironically having understudied Andrews as Eliza Doolittle in Lerner and Lowe’s My Fair Lady on Broadway. When Andrews left “My Fair Lady,” to play the female lead of Queen Guinevere in Lerner and Lowe’s next Broadway musical Camelot, Howes permanently took over the role of Eliza Doolittle at a higher salary than Andrews.
• Lionel Jeffries, who played Grandpa Potts in the film, ironically was four years younger than Dick Van Dyke, despite the fact that they played father and son in the movie. 
• Dick Van Dyke has acknowledged that the film’s director, Ken Hughes, was a talented “action” director, but was not a “people” director. Van Dyke said that Hughes hated kids, and Dick would often have to ask him to stop cursing in front of Heather Ripley and Adrian Hall who played Jemima and Jeremy Potts in the film. (Hughes was also dissatisfied with the final cut of the movie). 
• Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes guided the children through the performances and entertained them whenever they weren’t filming. 
• Van Dyke also said that he didn’t get along with Ken Hughes or producer Albert Broccoli.
• The Baron Bomburtst’s castle, Neuschwanstein, was also the model for the castle in Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty (1959), which coincidentally is the Walt Disney Pictures logo and the symbol of the Disney television program Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color (1954-1991).
• James Robertson Justice, who played Lord Scrumptious, had a stroke not long after wrapping up his role in the movie, and temporarily had to give up acting.
• This film features the choreography of Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood who also choreographed Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, in both “Mary Poppins,” and The Sound of Music (1965).
• Irwin Kostal was the conductor for “Chitty,” “Mary Poppins,” and “The Sound of Music.” (He won an Oscar for his contributions to “Sound of Music.”)
• “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” was released in 1968 which was a good year for movie-musicals. That same year, Barbra Streisand burst onto the screen in Funny Girl and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave the Best Picture Oscar to Oliver!.
• Although his performance in the film is exceptional, Dick Van Dyke was smoking up to 40 cigarettes a day and struggling with alcoholism around the time this movie was being made.
• “Chitty,” is the only film appearance of Heather Ripley, who played Dick Van Dyke’s onscreen daughter.
• Dick Van Dyke can briefly be seen in the opening credits sequence of the film waving a blue flag at one of the automobile races.
• In one of his later interviews, Dick Van Dyke said that the most difficult number to shoot in the movie was the “Me Ol’ Bamboo, sequence. He said that the number took 23 takes, and during each of those takes at the end of the number (where he and the other male dancers jumped over their bamboo sticks), someone always missed it. He recalls that on the 23rd take, he just barely made it over the stick himself. 
• While shooting the “Toot Sweets,” number, Dick Van Dyke popped a muscle and was out of dancing for six weeks.
• Gert Frobe, who played the role of Baron Bomburst, in the film is also known for having played the role of Auric Goldfinger in the James Bond film Goldfinger (1964).
• Ken Adam, who was the Production Designer on “Dr. No,” “Goldfinger,” and many other James Bond films was also the production designer on this movie. He was also the designer of the “Chitty,” cars.
• Six different “Chitty,” cars were designed for the movie. There is one on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu near Southampton UK. Another currently belongs to “Lord of the Rings,”/“Hobbit,” Trilogy director Peter Jackson.
• Dick Van Dyke was close friends with Benny Hill, who played the Toymaker. While filming, both men discovered that they each idolized Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Stan Laurel, and Van Dyke later said that both he and Hill thought “they were born in the wrong era.”
• Dick Van Dyke also recalled that at one point during filming, Robert Helpmann, who played the Child Catcher in the movie, was filming the scene where he’s first riding his carriage to kidnap the children. While Helpmann was on the carriage—but the children were not— the carriage tilted upward and almost crashed. Thanks to his athletic ballet dancing skills, Helpmann miraculously escaped the vehicle just in time before it crashed.
• The “Toot Sweets,” number took three weeks to film, and featured 38 dancers, 40 singers, 85 musicians, and 100 dogs. 
• Heather Ripley, who played Jemima Potts, refused to acknowledge the film for several years because her parents divorced while she was filming the movie.
• The original Broadway production of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” opened at the Hilton Theatre on April 28th, 2005 and ran for 285 performances.

A Good Year!

In 1993, President George H.W. Bush signed the Second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with then Russian president, Boris Yeltsin on January 3rd. On January 20th, William “Bill” Jefferson Clinton was officially sworn in as the 42nd President of the United States. On February 10th, the World Trade Center was bombed, killing six people and injuring over 1,000. On April 10th, Chris Hani, who was an African National Congress Activist was tragically assassinated at the age of 50 in South Africa. And on May 28th, the countries of Eritrea and Monaco officially became part of the United Nations. But, 1993 was also a quite remarkable year for movies. 

It was the year that Steven Spielberg welcomed us all to Jurassic Park and won the Best Picture Oscar of Schindler’s List. Tom Hanks reunited with good friend/frequent co-star Meg Ryan in Nora Ephron’s Sleepless in Seattle and won his first Oscar in the category of Best Actor for Philadelphia. ’93 was also the year that Disney released two special Halloween-themed films: The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus. It was also the year 20th Century Fox hit a “home run” when they released The Sandlot. In this blog, I have a list of films that came out in 1993, and  and I’d like to tell you something about each of them. (Please feel free to comment if you’d like!)

Jurassic Park-The T-rex’s in the film had roars that were a combination of dog, penguin, tiger, alligator, and elephant noises. The T-rex would also often malfunction due to rain. The film’s producer Kathleen Kennedy explained: “The T. Rex went into the heebie-jeebies sometimes. Scared the crap out of us! We'd be, like, eating lunch, and all of a sudden a T. Rex would come alive. At first we didn't know what was happening, and then we realized it was the rain. You'd hear people start screaming.”

Schindler’s List-Caroline Goodall, who who plays Oskar Schindler’s wife Emilie, in this film, previously appeared under Steven Spielberg’s direction as Moira Banning, wife of Peter Pan/Banning (played by Robin Williams) in Hook, two years earlier in 1991. Steven Spielberg later invited Robin Williams to the set of this film to tell jokes and perform comedy sketches to lighten up the depressing and gloomy filming atmosphere. 

Sleepless in Seattle-Dennis Quaid was originally considered for the role of Sam Baldwin in this movie—highly ironic, considering his then-wife, Meg Ryan ultimately landed the role of Annie Reid, after that role had been offered to the likes of Julia Roberts, Kim Basinger, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Jodie Foster. Tom Hank’s real wife, Rita Wilson appears opposite her husband in the movie, though as his sister. 

Philadelphia-Tom Hanks had to lose 26 pounds to play Andrew Beckett in this movie while Denzel Washington was asked to gain some pounds for his role as Joe Miller. To the dismay of Hanks, Washington often ate chocolate bars in front of him.

The Nightmare Before Christmas-Danny Elfman wrote the music for this film and also provided the singing voice of the character of Jack Skellington, as well as the voices of the characters of Barrel and the Clown with the Tear Away Face. Although Elfman is Tim Burton’s frequent collaborator, he and Burton and Elfman experienced “creative difference clashes” during the filming of “Nightmare.” As a result, Burton hired Howard Shore to compose the music for his next film, Ed Wood (1994).

Hocus Pocus-On an interview that she did for the British Broadcasting Company show “Breakfast,” in Feburary of 2008, Bette Midler specifically staid that this film was her favorite of all of her own movies. She later acknowledged in her autobiography, Bette Midler: Still Divine, that her other favorite film role was doing the voice of Georgette the Poodle in Oliver & Company (1988). Both “Hocus Pocus,” and “Oliver & Company,” coincidentally were produced by Disney.  

The Sandlot-David Mickey Evans wrote and directed this baseball classic and provided the narration for this film as the voice of the adult Scotty “Smalls.” He later wrote and directed a direct-to-video sequel, The Sandlot 2 (2005), which takes place ten years later. Evans again provided the voice-over narration, though this time as Scotty “Smalls’” younger brother, Johnnie Smalls. 

Dave-This film was a reunion for several members of its cast and crew. Kevin Kilne had previously appeared with Kevin Dunn in the movie Chaplin (1992) just the year prior and Sigourney Weaver had also worked with Kevin Dunn and Frank Langella in Ridley Scott’s 1492: Conquest of Paradise (also released in ’92). Weaver appeared under Ivan Reitman’s direction in Ghostbusters (1984) and its sequel Ghostbusters 2 (1989). “Dave,” was also released on May 7th, 1993, and Bill Clinton, who was a huge fan of the movie, had been sworn in as the U.S. President just four months earlier. 

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey-This Disney film was actually a remake of a film produced by Disney three decades earlier. The Incredible Journey (1963) which told the same story about two dogs and one cat that go on a journey to find their way back home and featured narration by Rex Allen instead of the animals having voices themselves. The film spawned a sequel Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco in 1996, though Don Ameche, who originated the voice of Shadow the golden retriever, tragically passed away not long after the release of the first film, and Disney then hired Ralph Waite, known for having played John Walton Sr. on The Waltons (1972-1981) to be Shadow’s new voice.   

Grumpy Old Men-This film was Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau’s sixth collaboration. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were both seriously considered for the roles of Max and John in the film, but Martin had to decline for health reasons, and passed away on Christmas Day of 1995, just three days after this movie’s sequel, Grumpier Old Men, came to theaters.                              

One wouldn’t easily think today that it has been a quarter of a century since these ten films have been released. Some of these films have actual accolades while others are simply famous for having gained cult status over the years. Overall, ’93 undoubtedly was an unforgettable year for the movies! 

Thurl Ravenscroft: He’s More than good, he’s GRR-EEE-AAA-TTT!

You may not know his name, but Thurl Ravenscroft’s voice is very well known: he originated the voice-over role of Tony the Tiger in all the Frosted Flakes commercials and sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” in the classic Dr. Seuss holiday special How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966). Throughout his 65-year-career, he was rarely ever seen live on camera, but his distinctive deep voice was used in all kinds of films and television shows, including numerous Disney films, television shorts, and even theme park attractions.

Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft was born in Norfolk, Nebraska on February 6th, 1914. He served as a navigator in WW2 Air Transport Command before relocating to Hollywood. When he relocated Hollywood, he founded a singing quartet group, the Mellomen, with a guy named Max Smith. The quartet remained a group from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s. Walt Disney must have heard their voices on the radio-turned-television program The Jack Benny Show (1932-1965) because he often hired them to perform in his movies. Their first official film appearance singing the song “Honest John,” in Walt Disney’s Pinocchio (1940), but that song was deleted from the film. The studio did, however, hire Ravenscroft himself to provide the voice of Monstro, the whale in the film. Throughout the ‘40s, Ravenscroft continued singing in Disney films and shorts such as Dumbo (1941), The Nifty Nineties (1941), which is the short that played in front of Pollyanna (1960), in theatres, and Make Mine Music (1946). 

When Alice in Wonderland (1951) was in production at Disney, Ravenscroft, along with the rest of the Mellomen, voiced the Card Painters for the “Painting the Rose’s Red,” sequence in the film. They also voiced the Pirates and the Indians in Peter Pan (1953) and the Dogs in the Pound in Lady and the Tramp (1955). Ravenscroft himself also voiced Al the Alligator in the film. The same year as Peter Pan, he made his official appearance as Tony the Tiger in the first Frosted Flakes commercial and he continued that voice for the rest of his life. 

When Disneyland opened in 1955, he became the narrator for the Disneyland Railroad attraction, the voice of the singing bull frogs in the Splash Mountain attraction, the lead singing bust in The Haunted Mansion, and the singing voice of the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean. Ravenscroft also voiced the character of Buff in Country Bear Jamboree and was the finale singer in It’s a Small World. In 1958, he lent his voice to the title character in Disney’s Oscar-nominated short, Paul Bunyan, and he also provided the singing voice of the character of “Stew Pot,” in Fox’s Oscar-winning film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical South Pacific. He also sang on several Disneyland Records and television serials including All About Dragons, Peter Cottontail and Other Funny Bunnies and Zorro (1960-1961), which also featured his group.  

In 1961, Ravenscroft voiced Captain the Horse in 101 Dalmatians. In ’63, he voiced Sir Bart in The Sword in the Stone, and the very next year in Mary Poppins (1964) he was the voice of the pig in the “Jolly Holliday,” sequence (singing: “The daffodils are smiling at the dove, oink oink!” The year after, he and the Mellomen, were the voices of the Elephants on Colonel Hathai’s crew in The Jungle Book (1967) and Pooh’s honeypots in the short Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968). In 1970, Ravenscroft voiced the Russian Cat in The Aristocats and in 1978 he voiced the Potter in Disney’s Christmas-themed short The Small One. His final Disney character was Kirby the vacuum cleaner in The Brave Little Toaster (1987), and he reprised it for both of its direct-to-video sequels, The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998) and The Brave Little Toaster To The Rescue (1999).

Thurl Ravenscroft died of prostate cancer at the age of 91 on May 22nd, 2005. He truly is an unsung legend in the history of the entertainment industry for having been a “familiar voice” to millions, and he will forever be remembered for voicing the exuberant, cereal-loving tiger and all of his Disney voice-overs. His career was more than good, it was great!